Corona Auto Insurance

The City of Corona is a modest and mainly middle-class city located in Riverside County, California. While the area is home to loads of amenities, including more than 394 acres of public parks, it's not known for excellent public transportation.

In fact, the city has received a poor Walk Score, a poor Transit Score because of it's limited fixed route access on the Corona Cruiser.

Since Corona has been classified as a car-dependent city, it's important to do your research on the law. You don't just need a budget to buy a car, you'll also need a budget to purchase insurance and maintain it.

If you're car shopping or transferring your registration, here's what you need to know about the state's auto insurance law and your responsibility.

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All Vehicle Owners Must Demonstrate Financial Responsibility

In the state of California, anyone who owns a vehicle that's registered for use on public roads needs to show evidence that they are financially responsible. This law is referred to as the Compulsory Financial Responsibility Law.

It applies to all residents in California, from Riverside County all the way to Placer County.

While the law doesn't say that auto insurance is mandatory, it does say that drivers need to have the resources to pay for damages that they cause.

That's because the state operates under a tort auto insurance system where it's an at-fault driver's responsibility to pay for a victim's damages. Financial Responsibility comes in many forms.

How can you prove that you're financially responsible?

You're expected to have evidence of financial responsibility from the moment that you become the legal or registered owner of your vehicle.

Since this is the case, it's important to review what types of evidence are acceptable. Auto insurance is the most popular way to comply with the law, but the following alternatives still exist:

• A cash deposit in the amount of $35,000 with the State Treasurer
• A surety bond in the amount of $35,000 posted with the Department of Motor Vehicles
• A Certificate of Self-Insurance issued by DMV officials
• Proof of active motor vehicle liability insurance issued by a carrier in California

How much auto liability insurance is required by law?

While the average household income in Corona is $78,892, a majority of families don't have $35,000 in cash to deposit to drive their own vehicles, buying insurance is the most common option.

If you opt to buy insurance, you need to be sure that it's from a carrier with a license to sell personal products in California.

You also need the following coverage minimums required under state law:

• Bodily Injury: $15,000 per person, $30,000 per accident
• Property Damage: $5,000 per accident

How much auto liability insurance is enough?

Just because the state minimums will satisfy the law doesn't mean that the minimums are enough to really coverage all of the damages that you cause.

In reality, there's no way to really guarantee that you'll be covered in any scenario. The best thing that you can do is purchase higher limits of liability that'll offer you a higher level of asset protection.

Imagine what'd it'd be like if you had minimum coverage and injured someone in an accident.

You'd have just $15,000 to pay for one person's medical expenses and lost wages. Since Corona has a high healthcare cost index, it makes sense to raise your limits for even minor accidents. And $5000 will do little more than fix someone's paint job.

Pinpointing the amount of coverage that you should carry can be difficult.

It's a hard balancing act to choose limits that keep you protected but that still fall into your budget. Most experts recommend that you carry at least $100,000 per person, $300,000 per accident and $100,000 in property damage for sufficient protection.

Are there uninsured motorists in Corona, California?

Not everyone has financial responsibility. Amazingly enough, there are drivers who choose to violate the law and knowingly put others at risk.

In fact, in the vast state of California, there are more than 4.1 million drivers who don't insure their cars. The statistics show that about 14.9 percent of all drivers statewide don't maintain minimum coverage.

If you're more concerned about your immediate area, all you have to do is do the math.

Corona has a population of about 161,468. Since there are about 1.9 million registered cars in the county, that translates into about 283,000 uninsured drivers in your city and around it.

How does the state verify your coverage?

A huge number of drivers are caught with insurance on a daily basis.

If you're in the mindset that driving safe will prevent you from getting caught, think again. While some drivers do get caught after an accident or a traffic stop, the state catches more drivers through an electronic database that officers do on highways.

Your insurance information is electronically reported to the DMV in real time.

If your policy cancels, the DMV knows about it. While you are given the option to prove you haven't had a lapse in coverage, the option is for a limited period of time. Failing to respond means that you'll have a suspended registration and a lot of reinstatement fees.

What are the penalties for driving without insurance?

A suspended registration is just one example of a penalty for being uninsured.

If you're pulled over, you'll pay even higher consequences. Here are some of the penalties that you can face if you don't have active insurance when you're pulled over by an officer of the law:

• A fine of between $100 and $200
• Penalty assessments and court costs
• Vehicle impoundment
• Fine of between $200 and $500 for second offense
• Requirement to file an SR-22 following an uninsured accident

How do you protect yourself against uninsured motorists?

You never know when a driver who's not responsible enough to carry insurance will plow into you.

You could put away hundreds of dollars each year to protect yourself or you can buy a special add-on policy provision called Uninsured Motorist (UM).

If you carry UM, your medical bills will be covered if someone without insurance hits you and causes injuries.

How do you protect your vehicle from losses?

If you're in an accident that causes damages to others, chances are your vehicle will sustain damage as well. If you don't carry full coverage, it's your responsibility to pay for the full cost to repair your car when you're at fault in the loss.

The only way that you can pass the burden of paying for the damages onto your insurer is to buy physical damage coverage.

Physical damage consists of comprehensive and collision coverage. Comprehensive pays for losses caused by perils like fire, theft, flood, vandalism, or falling objects. Collision pays when you're in an accident and collide with another object. You can carry comprehensive alone but must have comprehensive to carry collision.

How much will physical damage coverage cost you?

The rates for comprehensive and collision vary from city to city and household to household. Some companies offer more affordable premiums than others, but there are reports that show you what the average costs are.

Based on a survey released by the Insurance Research Council, the average cost for comprehensive is $97 per year and the average cost for collision is $361 per year.

How much you'll actually pay will be more specific to the City of Corona.

Based on a statewide report that ranks premiums in 100 California cities, it was found that premiums in Corona are around .19% higher than the average reported in the state. This means the average consumer pays around $1269.74 per year for full coverage.

What factors affect your car insurance rates?

When you're getting a quote for insurance you'll be asked to provide very detailed information about your household, history, and habits.

Each answer that you provide is used to determine how likely you are to have some sort of loss. Here are rating factors commonly used:

• Vehicle type and safety features
• Licensing experience, gender and marital status
• Accident and citation record
• Driving habits
• Rating zip code (Home Gardens has higher rates than Knabe Road)
• Occupation
• Annual mileage
• Good student discount
• Good driver discount

The only really accurate way to find out how much you'll pay for auto insurance in Corona is to get auto insurance quotes.

The fastest way to get accurate quotes from some of the leading companies in California is to use an online rate quote tool. Enter your information, select coverage options, and secure your coverage.

In fact, you can get started right now by entering your zip code below!